The Folk and Rock Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s

Extraordinary new music in the 1950s and 1960s provided a rich soundtrack to a turbulent era in U.S. history. This musical revolution was activated by a remarkable convergence of post-WW II demographic shifts, economic changes and technological innovations coinciding with widening generational, cultural and political divides. Our musical journey unfolds as a chronological study, tracking the evolution of the music and relating it to pivotal events and shifting societal viewpoints. 

Prior to retirement, Reed Wallace served as executive director of the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra for nearly two decades. Reed’s professional career includes 11 years as a professional trombonist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and as a faculty member of the Alabama School of Fine Arts.